Luanda — The National Assembly confirmed on Thursday in Luanda, during the final vote, the jurists Amélia Augusta Varela and Emiliana Margareth Morais Nanga Covie as new judges advisors of the Constitutional Court (TC).

During the second ordinary plenary session, the proposals of the ruling MPLA and the main opposition UNITA were unanimously approved.

The newly elected members will replace Maria Almeida Sango (term expired) and Josefa dos Santos Neto (retired).

The Constitutional Court is composed of 11 judges appointed by the Head of State, including the President.

Four are elected by the National Assembly by a 2/3 majority of the members in office, including the Vice President. Two shall be elected by the Superior Council of the Judiciary and one shall be elected by public competition in accordance with the law.

The judicial counselors are appointed for a non-renewable term of seven years.

Movements

At least 10 new deputies were sworn in to replace the same number of deputies who suspended their mandates due to incompatibility with public office and permanent resignation after joining a party different from the one that elected them.

Luis Pizarro, Maurílio Luiele, Amílcar do Nascimento, Januário Mussambo, Cecília de Barros, António Saúde, Anastácio Sicato, Rita Mateus Júnior, João Vindes and Fernanda Nguissi were sworn in as deputies.

Earlier in the day, several deputies had moved, most notably the new vice president of the MPLA, Mara Quiosa.

Deputies Crispiniano Evaristo dos Santos and Narciso Damásio Benedito suspended their mandates for holding public office incompatible with the role of parliamentarian.

There were also changes in the special committees of the National Assembly, as well as in the UNITA parliamentary group, where MP Abel Chivukuvuku was permanently replaced for joining a party other than the one to which he was elected. VIC/TED/AMP